How to Receive Answers to Your Prayers

There has been so much emphasis on why, when and how to pray, but having prayed, how do you receive the answers to your prayers? As important as prayer is, receiving is equally, if not more important. The Bible does not only teach us how to pray, it also explains how to receive the answers to our prayers. If we do not have what we need, it is because we are not asking God for it (James 4:2), but if we are asking, we are not receiving because we probably are not asking in faith (Mark 11:24).

Receiving the Answers to Your Prayers

Several Bible passages allude to the fact that God has given or will give us all we need (2 Peter 1:3, Romans 8:32, Ephesians 1:3). So why does it appear we do not have answers to our prayers? It is because we are missing a crucial step in the process. There are three steps to having the answers to our prayers as seen in Mark 11:24:

  1. Ask God in the name of Jesus Christ (John 14:13)
  2. Receive the answer by faith
  3. Then, the answer is yours to have

The following points are also worthy of note in relation to receiving answers to our prayers:

  • Hebrews 11:1 – Believe you have received the answers. Having faith means we are expecting God to answer. Faith gives us that assurance, the certainty, that we have received what we have asked for. This certainty grows as we gain more knowledge of God, especially through His Word (Romans 10:17)
  • Live in agreement with your belief in God. Do not act contrary to your confession. It naturally appears that the act of receiving is a passive one; but it is not because faith is supposed to act, or do that which is believed (James 2:14-26).
  • 1 John 5:14-15, James 4:3 – Ask God for the right thing. How do I know the right thing to ask for? It is right when it is in line with God’s will, or intention, or mind for your life. We know His general and specific intentions as we study the Bible and continue to live in Him – Jer 29:11, Ps 121, Deut 28:13
  • Matthew 6:33 – Go after God, and God will sort out your daily needs. See what God has planned for us:

I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! – Isaiah 65:24 (NLT)

Conclusion

It is the desire of God that His children have everything pertaining to life and godliness. He is always willing to answer us when we call on Him in faith, with the right requests. Moreover, You have no idea what God could do for you if your life pleases Him. That is probably the best way of receiving from God.